# Hashi Puzzle **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 18, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779 "2008-03-18T14:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/1 "2008-03-18T14:47:56Z")
I tried to search for this prior to making this thread, but “the search function has been disabled.” Just this morning, I was introduced to a new kind of puzzle: Hashi. That’s the short form of [Hashiwokakero](http://www.indigopuzzles.com/ipuz/help.action?helpId=hashi/index) Here are the rules: [ol][li]The puzzle is composed of islands, each with a number on it.[/li][li]Your task is to connect the islands via straight lines (bridges).[/li][li]They must be vertical or horizontal (no diagonals or wiggly lines).[/li][li]They can’t cross other bridges.[/li][li]You can’t have more than two bridges along any one route [/li][li]You must be able to trace a route from any island to any other island when you are finished.[/li][li]There is only one solution.[/ol][/li] I already like it and haven’t even solved one yet! ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/2 "2008-03-18T14:55:48Z")
That’s okay, you would have searched in the wrong forum, anyway. 😉 Off to The Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/3 "2008-03-18T15:17:56Z")
Drat. Thought I was in The Game Room. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/4 "2008-03-18T16:46:35Z")
Interesting puzzles. I may have to take a closer look later. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/5 "2008-03-18T20:00:26Z")
A critical element missing from the OP’s list is that the number on an island indicates how many bridges are connected to it. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/6 "2008-03-18T20:14:13Z")
I finished the first Sample puzzle in about 5 minutes. Neat concept, not nearly as frustrating to me as Sudoku ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/7 "2008-03-18T23:58:28Z")
Yeah, these are fun! **GAMES** magazine has been publishing them for a while. They can get big and complicated, but great fun. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/8 "2008-03-20T04:27:20Z")
I can’t find a link to the sample puzzle(s?). ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/9 "2008-03-20T10:41:30Z")
This puzzle (he calls it “Bridges”) and many other Japanese-style puzzles are available in [Simon Tatham’s Puzzle collection](http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/) (Windows/Mac/\*nix). My favourite is probably “Loopy”. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/10 "2008-03-20T11:23:10Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] I can’t find a link to the sample puzzle(s?). [/QUOTE] You have to click on Daily Puzzles then on samples. Or you can go to this [link](http://www.indigopuzzles.com/ipuz/samples.jsp). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/11 "2008-03-20T11:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] This puzzle (he calls it “Bridges”) and many other Japanese-style puzzles are available in [Simon Tatham’s Puzzle collection](http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/) (Windows/Mac/\*nix). My favourite is probably “Loopy”. [/QUOTE] Thanks! Another name for Loopy is Slitherlink. I love that one and the Light Up puzzles. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/12 "2008-03-20T12:36:00Z")
[QUOTE=USCDiver] I finished the first Sample puzzle in about 5 minutes. Neat concept, not nearly as frustrating to me as Sudoku [/QUOTE] Interesting, I’m actually sort of stumped after ten minutes. Sudoku comes very naturally and easy to me though. I’ll just try to keep hacking away at it. [QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] A critical element missing from the OP’s list is that the number on an island indicates how many bridges are connected to it. [/QUOTE] This may help. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/13 "2008-03-20T20:56:21Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] You have to click on Daily Puzzles then on samples. Or you can go to this [link](http://www.indigopuzzles.com/ipuz/samples.jsp). [/QUOTE] Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/14 "2008-03-20T21:23:43Z")
It seems to be similiar to minesweeper to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/15 "2008-03-22T15:43:10Z")
[QUOTE=Cubsfan] It seems to be similiar to minesweeper to be honest. [/QUOTE] Well, there are numbers if that’s what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/16 "2008-03-22T20:46:35Z")
And the Hashi puzzle doesn’t give you a chance to lose on the first selection. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hashi-puzzle/441779/17 "2008-03-23T04:48:58Z")
And in Hashi, you are never forced to guess between two or more possibilities, one of which makes you lose and have to start a new game.